The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-08
THE IRATE MUSICIANS.
The Organ of the NJ I. n. A. Offers Some In
formation to the Indianapolis Press.

The New York Musical Courier, which seems
to he the organ. self constituted or Official OF
the National Musical Teachers Association,
hastens to enlghten the indianapolis News and
Tribune with some biographical facts concern
ing the Van der Stucken. the conductor of the
coming musical festival in this city, those papers
having c6nfessed ignorance as to that gentle
mans personality. The Courier, since its former
issue. has itself, it i'll be noticed acquired some
information in regard to the ability of Professor
Barus. The paper says:
To the English writer, well TO the Ger
man. would say that there is familiar quo
taton to the effect that not TO know of some
people is argue ones self unknown. IL Is
scarcely certificate OF ability to discuss purely
artistic question for boastfa1ly proclaim
ignorance of the personality of Mr.. Van der
StucEen. Whoever does by that very token
writes himself down who has paid abso-
lutely no attention to the musical affairs OF the
metropolis of the new world, and one of the
foremost musical cities of the whole world for
the last three years, the most active
period IL New Yerk's musical history. 1t
is to announce that the writer does not know
the name OF the man who. by the confession
of press and profession has done more than any
other to advance the very cause for which the
concerts have been made part of the Nj. L. n. A
scheme. It is to plead ignorance of the protector
ard conductor OF the novelty concerts of 1854
and 1885. aud the Chickering Hall symphonic
concerts of 1886 and 1887 1t is to Admit having
failed to take note of events which the musical
press
discussed; events, moreover, which owed their
occurrence TO the energy, enterprise enthusiasm
and ability to Mr.. Van der Stucken native
born American who. il seems. has had the singu-
lar good fortune to win distinction in the CAPT.
tails of Europe without even making his name
known to the intelligent writers for the Indian
s spii pFe'' about shs spsns Of M
Van der Stucken's name will take the
trouble to refer to his New York files he will
make the surprising discovery that that gentle
has 1ked
more. than Mr. Theodore Thomas during the
last three years.
So much for Mr.. Van der Stucken's personal
ity. We do not think that it would be altogeth-
culpabe not to know Mr.. Barus, but truth
compels us to cay that, finding 1t convenient to
know something about other localities than our
own, holding. in fact, such knowledge essential
to the intelligent performance of the duties OF a
Journalist, we do happen to know considerable
about Mr.. Barus, and that we feel toward him
such degree of personal respect and esteem
that we do not care to drag the question of his
abilities furtDr into this controversy than his
would be friends compel u.s. The ignorance OF
the champions of local Indianapolis talent is
nothing more fragrant than in their conparisonof
German singing society festivals and Grand
Army reunions with a convention of music
teachers met for the purpose OF discussing edu-
cational methods striving for the advancement
of the standard OF their profession and incl
dentally of encouraging the composition of
music by American musicians, by enabling them
to hear it performed. Mr.. Van der Stnckens
claims to the position which he has been invited
TO occupy IN Indianapolis woulo De GOOD against
any other conductor, by virtue of what he has
done at bis own risk in this direction if he were
not the admirable conductor that he is.
But the determining fact in the matter is that
TO good would be accomplished by the concerts
of the NJ. T. n. a. If they were not placed
the highest possible plane of excellence The
spirit of the discounted Indianapolis writers
and musicians is not patriotic at all. but only
sordid and selfish If local patriotism alone
inspired them they would rejoice that their
music-teachers were to have eo-
portunitv to hear American compositions
played by trained orchestra, and the
Hoosier cornetists, from bonists, and others
who feel themselves full OF musical
genius would recognize that bright day is